Track-fastening.



No. 628,440. Patented luly Il, |899.

A. L. ANDERSON.

TRACK FASTENING.

' n led May 10, 1899) (No Modal.)

UNITED4 STATES Plym-nvr OFFICEe ALEX L. ANDERSON, OF BEATRICE, NEBRASKA.

TRACK-FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,440, dated J' uly 1 1, 1899. Application tiled May 10,1899. Serial No, 716,286. (No model.l

citizen of the United States, residing at Beatrice, in the countyof Gage and State `of Nebraska,have inven ted a new useful Track-Fastening, of which the following is a specification. j

This invention relatesto track-fastenings, and has for its object to provide a simple and `improved device of this character which is adapted to connect the opposite side rails of a railroad-track, so as toA prevent spreading of the rails, and to brace the treads thereof, whereby the same are prevented from being broken and the rails are braced against tipping or tilting laterally.

A furtherobject of the invention is to facilitate the positioning and removal of the rails and to provide a device which may be as eective upon curves as upon` straight portions of the track.

To these ends thevpresent invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as `will be hereinafter more fully described,shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim. Y

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of a railroad-track secured to a tie by the presentinvention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View of one of the detachable clamp-plates.

Corresponding parts are designated by like reference characters in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, l designates a Wooden cross-tie of the common form, and 2 the opposite rail-sections, which are seated upon the tie and fastened thereto by the present invention.

In carrying out my invention I provide a fiat metallic `base-bar 3, having transverse anges 4 provided at the opposite ends thereof and overhanging the upper face 'of the base-- bar, so as to provide Atransverse grooves or sockets 5. Located intermediate of the flanged ends of the base-bar is a pair of fixed clamp-plates G, riveted or otherwise secured to the upper face of the bar and of substantially L shape. The offset end 7 of each clamp-plate extends toward the adjacent flanged end of' the base-'bar and is `adapted to coperate therewith in securing the respective rail-sections to the tie.

Each end of the base-bar is provided with a detachable clamp-plate 8, which is best illustrated in Fig. 3 of the draWings,7and comprises a fiat base-plate having an upstanding shoulder 9 projecting a suitablel distance beyond one end of the plate, and the latter is also provided in its front edge and at opposite sides of the shoulder 9 With suitable openings 10, adapted toreceive the usual spikes for securing the plate in position. By reference to Fig. 2 of the'drawings it will be seen that the detachable plate is adapted to rest fiat upon the upper face of the base-bar and having its outer edge seated within the socket 5, formed by the flange provided at the respective ends of the base-bar. It will be understood that the plate is positioned laterally across the base-bar, so as to facilitate the engagement of the outer edge of the plate with the socket of the base-bar, and suitable spikes or fastenings 1,1 are driven through the opposite openings lO and suitable openings also provided in the base-bar and into the Wooden tie l,whereby the base-baris secured to the tie and the detachable clamping-plate is held in position upon the bar. The outer end 12 of the shoulder 9 is adapted to fit flush against the adjacent side of the web of the rail and snugly between the tread and fiange thereof, and the upper edge 13 is concaved, as shown, to receive the underconvex face of the tread j of the rail. Also the lower or under edge 14 of the shoulder is beveled or inclined upwardly and outwardly, so as to lit evenly across the upper face of the flange of the rail. By this formation or shape of the shoulder 9 it will be seen that the same fits snugly against the flange, the wedge, and the tread of the rail, whereby the latter is effectively engaged and held against the adjacent fixed clamping-plate S, which overlaps the opposite side of the flange of the rail. The rails are therefore firmly fastened to the tie and are prevented from being spread by reason of the opposite detachable clamping-plates engaging the fixed flanged end of the base-bar, and at the same time the rails are capable of a lon- IOO gitudinal movement transversely of the basebar, so as to provide for the contraction and expansion of the rails.

It will be understood that the Weight of a train tends to tip or tilt the rails outward, and therefore the shoulder 9 has been adapted to engage the under side of the tread of the rail,- Whereby such tilting is effectively prevented and breakage of the tread is also preeluded.' Furthermore, it Will be seen that the heads of the spikes 1l engage over the Changes in the form, proportion, size, andv the minor details of construction Within the scope of the-appended claim may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacriicing any of the advantages of this invention.

What I claim is* In a track-fastening of the class described, the combination with a base-bar having its 0pposite ends provided with overhangln g vflanges adapted to form sockets, and fixed substantially L- shaped clamping plates provided upon the upper face of the base-bar and adjacent to the respective ends thereof, of detachable clamping-plates, each of which comprises a at base-plate having an upstanding shoulder projecting out beyond one end of the plate and provided With openingsin the shouldered edge of the plate and at opposite sides of said shoulder, said clamping-plates being adapted to be seated in the sockets of the respective ends of the base-bar and the shoulders to engage the anges, Webs, and treads of the respective rails, and spikes 0r similar fastenings adapted to be driven through the openings in the edges of the plates, the basebar, and into a Wooden cross-tie, whereby the base-bar is connected to the latter, the detachable clamping-plates are held in position upon the bar, and the heads of the spikes engage over the top of the Aflanges of the rails, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

ALEX Il. ANDERSON.

Vitnesses:

A. J. HALE,

U. P. FULTON. 

